By JAMES COLLINS

Now, let's see. How many short, overweight, non-English-speaking Chinese boyhood friends of Jackie Chan have ever become stars on U.S. television? While no definitive answer is possible, of course, an exhaustive study of the available data suggests that the number is zero. With the arrival of Samo Hung, however, the figure is about to change. Hung grew up in Hong Kong with Chan and worked with him in 23 movies. Now the actor-turned-director has turned actor again, starring in Martial Law, a new drama that lights up Saturday evenings on the CBS network. Despite the lack of precedent, the series has won good ratings, and Hung has shown himself to be as appealing as any of American TV's leading men.

Martial Law concerns Samo Law, a detective from Shanghai played by Hung, who has been assigned to the Los Angeles police department. In many ways it's an old-fashioned cop show, with crude plots and characterizations--but this actually makes it a pleasure to watch, since it provides a B-movie charge and doesn't require the viewer to care about anyone's alcoholism or love life. What makes Martial Law distinct, though, are its intricate, speed-of-light action sequences and its humor. These both derive from the talents of Hung, who has been a star of comedy-action films in Hong Kong since the 1970s. The result is a series that will win no Emmy awards but is highly entertaining, and whose sheer craft, at least in its choreography and acrobatics, puts most American TV to shame.

A year ago, Hung would never have imagined that he would be appearing in prime time. Last March Terry Botwick, a programming executive at CBS, learned that veteran Hong Kong action director Stanley Tong (Supercop) was interested in developing a martial-arts show for television. That's something Botwick had wanted to do for a long time, and he and Tong proposed such a series to Leslie Moonves, the head of CBS Television. Moonves liked the idea. He ordered up a pilot, collapsing the development process, which usually takes months, into seven weeks.

The first choice for the lead was Jackie Chan himself, but he preferred to keep making films like Rush Hour. So Tong and his partners suggested Hung, who, as another huge Hong Kong star, was a logical substitute. Hung took the part because he liked the character, who is tough, street-smart and wise. "In movies and television shows, there has never been a really good Chinese lead," Hung says. "So often, the Chinese look like they are very scared and shy. I said I would try a new kind of character."

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R E L A T E D   S T O R I E S :

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INTERVIEW "I'm crazy, but I won't risk my life"
POLL Which of Jackie Chan's previous movies is your favorite?
POLL Which action hero do you think would win an on-screen battle: Jackie Chan or Jet Li?